Vivian HAY

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HAY: Vivian Bernice Hay (Smith). With the same quiet dignity and serenity that she had shown throughout her life, Vivian Bernice Hay (Smith), with family beside her, passed away on April 25th, 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer. Bernice was predeceased by her parents Ralph and Beatrice and her sister Doreen Toder. Left to survive her is her loving husband Bob, her son Michael (Kathryn), her daughter Tracy Klassen (Dana) and grandchildren Naomi, Emma and Zachery Klassen and Brendan Hay. She is also survived by her brothers-in-law and sisters- in-law Cliff Toder, Gerald and Betty Hay, Garth Hay and Ron and Maxine Hay as well as numerous nephews and nieces. Bernice was born and raised on the family farm near Oak Lake, Manitoba. Along with her sister Doreen and cousin Carlyle, they attended the local rural schools travelling on a horse drawn sleigh in the winter and school bus carriage in the summer. Upon graduating from Oak Lake High School, Bernice pursued a career in teaching--starting in one room schools and then primary grades in larger schools. In 1968 she left the schools on the prairies for a teaching position in Flin Flon. It was there she met her future husband, Bob whom she married in 1970. After a brief interlude in the south where Bob upgraded his education, they moved to Thompson and then Cranberry Portage. It was here that for the next 35 years Bernice and Bob would raise their family, be a part of Grace Church and the community of Cranberry and establish many close friendships that would last a lifetime. One of the gifts that Bernice shared throughout her life was her talent and love for music: As a young person she participated in local festivals for voice and piano and later played the lead role in Guys and Dolls for the Flin Flon Glee Club. She was the accompanist at her church, played for weddings and funerals in the community and led worship at church and at Kids Club which she loved being part of. Bernice was also accomplished at telling and writing stories for kids. As a gifted teacher she knew there was no better way of imparting a lesson than through a story and she used the sights, sounds and animals of the north to make her stories come to life. For many students at Frontier Collegiate, Bernice and Bob's home was “a home away from home” and Bernice loved laughing and listening to the kids who came “for tea” and on occasion would cook up some caribou or moose meat that kids would bring from their distant homes. The friendships that she developed with the kids, with folks from her church and community and the walks and coffee times she had with her girlfriends were so special to Bernice. In all endeavours that Bernice undertook; raising her family, teaching, establishing community and friendships, her actions were guided by her strong and devoted Christian faith. It was her faith that guided her life and was her source of strength and her anchor as she lived out her final days. Throughout her illness, Bernice and Bob have been overwhelmed by the expressions of love and support that have come from their community, their church, their former colleagues at Frontier School Division and from their many friends and extended family. Bob, Tracy and Michael want to extend a special thank you to Drs. Krahn and Hiebert and the staff at the Palliative Care Unit of the St. Boniface Hospital for their tender and compassionate care during Bernice's stay there. An evening of prayer and praise will be held on Tuesday May 3rd at 7:00 pm at the Grace Church in Cranberry Portage. A service to celebrate the life of Bernice will be held at the Frontier Collegiate gymnasium at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, May 4th. Internment to follow. Donations in her memory can be made to: Simonhouse Bible Camp, Box 250, Cranberry Portage, Manitoba, ROB OHO.

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 30, 2011